Locomotive valve operating device



-March18, 1941. M w D-,;DEY 2,235,204

LOCOMOTIVE VALVE OPERATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1937 a Sheets-Sheet 1 lo ix INVENTOR. MART/N W .DAOEY.

ATTORNEY 18, 1941. v w. DADEY 7 2,235,204

' LOCOMOTIVE VALVE OPERATING mm'cs Filed Feb. 12, 1937 a Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR; M12 r/A/ W .DA DE).

0 25 BY $45M 7 V ATTORNEY M. w. DADEY I LOCOMOTIVE VALVE OPERATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. M'ART/N W .DAOEY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 18,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to the operation of steam valves for railroad locomotives.

It is an object of the invention to provide forthe independent operation of exhaust valves on locomotives or' steam engines of any kind. A particular object is the "provision of means for automatically shifting the exhaust valves of such locomotives from forward to reverse position upon operation of the control for the admission valves.

It is another object of this invention to provide an efllcient mechanism for the stated purpose through the use of which important economies in railroad operation will be attainable.

In general the present invention contemplates the use of power operated means to shift the exhaust valve gears, the control of the power operated means being provided in the mechanism adapted to control the admission valves. In

other words, it contemplates the use of novel means, such as a power operated cylinder, to

reverse one of two or more steam valves, there being manual control ior the other. valve or valves.

These and other objects and characteristics will become more apparent as this specification progresses and the particular novelty of theinvention will be defined in the appended claims.-

In the drawings forming a part hereof, 1

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the valves in forward position, with certain parts shown in section,

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the valves in neutral position,

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the valves in reverse position,

Figure 4 is an end view, partly broken away, of

the link and blocks employed in the present invention, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one type of valve means operable by the linkages forming the subject matter of the invention;

Figure 6 is a top plan view, partly in section. of the assembly illustrated in Figure 5.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as adapted for use in conjunction with the Walschaert type valve gears, which is well known and understood in this art. It is to be understood, however, that the principle of the invention is not limited to such use and is adaptable for use with other valve gear controlmechanisms.

A reach rod l0, extending to the engine cabifor manual control by such conventional means as a lever and quadrant (not shown) is connected at its outer end to a bellcrank II, on the tumbling shaft II The bellcrank II, in turn, is operatively connected, by a rod l3, to the admission valve control rod M.

A block l5, pinned to rod I4, in link I6, permits 5 the usual adjustment of the admission valves as to neutral, forward and reverse positions, as well as the cut-off, once the locomotive is under way.

The link", in the present adaptation (see Fig.

4) comprises two guide sections 20 and 2|, the 10 former containing block i6 and the latter block 22 pinned to the exhaust valve rod 23. Other than the provision of the two guides the link I6 is of conventional construction, having center pins 24 by which it is pivotally mounted in any 15 well known way, and an integral leg 25 for suitable connection to an eccentric (not shown) through rod 28.

While it will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the control of the admission- 20 valves is manual, or through some power operated device which is in turn manually controlled, the following matter will reveal that the control of the exhaust valves as to forward and reverse,

is fully automatic. First, however, let it be said 5 that the present invention does not concern itself with the specific adjustment of the particular exhaust valve being used, That adjustment is understood, for present purposes, as having been made at the cylinder head. Thus, the present 30 invention is directed toward the provision of means whereby the shifting of the exhaust valves from full open forward position to full open reverse position may be conveniently effected.

These specific objects are accomplished 35 through the provision of an air cylinder 30, operatlvely connected to the exhaust valve rod 23 by a bellcrank 3i and rod 32, which will automatically reverse the exhaust valves upon operation =0! reach rod ll.

gated slot 4| in the upper leg of the bellcrank II, which connection permits free movement of the bellcrank 3| about its axis (shaft 42) when air '50 -:is admitted to the cylinders 33 and II.

- The valves for cylinders 33 and 34 are shown 'gto best advantage in Figure l ofthe drawings. A {control rod 5, pivotally connected to bellcranlr H, or, if preferred, connected to a lever on the 58 tumbling shaft it, has a pair of pistons 48 and I1 thereon, slidably movable in cylinder II to open and close the ports therein.

When bellcrank II has been moved to the posi- 5 tion shown in Figure 1, air coming into cylinder to through pipe 49 is vented to cylinder it through port ll, since piston it closes oil corre- Y spending port ii and piston 41 has closed oif-exhaust port 52. The air vented through port il passes through pipe II and initially through check valve 54 into cylinder 34. This initial direction of flow results from the fact that at the moment port 50 isopened the piston it is in full forwardposition (opposite that shown in Figure 1, in which see piston 35) thus closing oi! port ll in cylinder 34. when sui'flcient air has entered cylinder 34 through check valve 64 to move. piston equipped with the same control means as is opposing cylinder It, there being a check valve 54 at the end of the cylinder, a port ii adjacent the same end and adapted to be closed oi! by the v piston 3|, and a pipe 83 in communication with port it, check valve 54 and port, ll. Furthermore. this end of cylinder ll is provided with an exhaust port 56, corresponding to the port I! at the opposite end. It will thus be seen that when p piston 36 is moved in cylinder 34 by pressure'of 35 air thereon, piston II will displace the air in cylinder 33 through its port 55, pipe ll. port Ii and finally, exhaust port ll.

Check valves 84 are one-way against the pistons 35 and 3'. Hence, when pistons ll and 38 close of! the respective ports ll in their return movement, a small amount of air will be trapped in the ends of the cylinders and against the check valves to serve as a cushion preventing the pistons from striking the cylinder ends.

While it is obvious that the present invention does not concern itself with the operation of any specific valve and that the linkages herein shown and claimed are susceptible of practicable use with many types of valve means, Figures 5 and 8 of the drawings illustrate one example.

Conventional admission and. exhaust valves 00 and ti, respectively, mounted on the main steam cylinder in the usual way (not shown) are provided with customary pistons 82. Each of the pistons 62 has a rod '8 attached to a cross-head 64, adapted to travel in the guides ll, formed as extensions of the valves Cl and II.

While the connection between exhaust valve rod 23 and the cross-head M for exhaust valve 8! is a direct pivotal connection (see Fig. 6), the coupling oi admission valve rod It and valve It takes a slightly different form. A'lever Cl is pivotally connected, adjacent its-upper end, to the cross-head ior valve ti and extends downwardly through a slot 68 in the guide I, for. suitable operative connection with a cross-head (not shown) through the medium of the link 00. Rod I4 is connected to thefree end of lever it above its connection with cross-head N. In this well understood, conventional assembly, movement or link is and rod It drives the piston in cylinder to substantially the full length of its stroke and the stroke is completed to open the ports of valve 0.

upon forward movement of the cross-head with which levers l9 and it are operatively connected. 75 It is believed that the operation of the apparabegins its initial movement.

tus forming the subject matter of this invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description, but to summarise: Assuming the engine to be at a standstill'and that it is desired to move forwardly. the valves will be found in the 5 neutral position shown in Figure 2. The engineer moves the cab lever on the quadrant to manipulate the reach rod ll. As reach rod .II is moved forwardly, bellcrank H turns about its pivot 12 and through the connecting rod II the .10 admission valve control-rod II is thrust down .werdly carrying its block in link. It from neutral position to full open position. With the admissionvaives thus open a full charge of steam is admitted to the driving piston and the engine 15' In this movement. a or bellcrank ii to open the admission valves it ugh will be understood that valve control rod ll 7 attached thereto has been-thrust forwardly moving pistons so and 4! in'cylinder 48 from the 20 positionshowninl'igureiitothatshowninFigure 1, establishing communication between the source of compressed air andcyiinder 34 and opening exhaust port II to the discharge of air irom cylinder ll. Thu piston It isactuated in 25 cylinder 34 and movement of block 39 and guide 88 is elected. Through the connection-of block" I It and bellcrank II the latter is moved'aboutitjs pivot to move exhaust valve. controilod .2

its full open reversing position forward position (see Fig. 1). I As the acceleration of. the enxineprogresses the engineer hooks the admission-valve control.

M slnsmbcraci f ll in-iink ll up toward dead center toeflect thedesiredcut-ofiofsteam.

Assuming now that the brought to a dead stop and it is desired toner-tile same in reverse theengineer upon pulllng reacii rod ll rearwardly in the cab swings bellcrank'. ll.-

about its pivot l2 causing the-block of rod It to, move from neutral pontionintothe'i} position '11-; lustrsted in Figure 8 of the drawlngalthat fisifull open reverse position. In this operationfpi'stona it is actuated in cylinder 33, since it is drawn rearwardly to open off-and?? exhaust port I! while closing oii'intake port," and exhaust p rt 0!. Block. gs'then .i'v fflvelsfio the opposite end of guide ll tothat snowman-ic ure 1 and bellcrank 8| draws exhaust 'valv eom 1 in m u and its retaining block 2: upwardly in link lltoitsfullopen reverseposition. Itis to be appreciated that while only a we ierred form of my'invention has been illustratedand described herein, that the principle thereof is subject to many modifications and changes and therefore I do not wish to be limited to only the form shown but desire full protection according to the scope of the appended claims. a Having thus described my invention. what desire to secure by grant of Letters Patent, and,

therefore claim is: I i. In a locomotive having a cylinder and swim? admission and exhaust valves thereror, means for controlling said. valves comprising in combina' tion, levers for said valves, blocks on said levers, a link for said blocks, a reach rod operativeiy connected to said admission valve levers, said connection including a bellcrank, a power operated cylinder operatively connected to said ex-v haust valve lever, and control means for said power operated cylinder connected for positive actuation by said bellcrank upon operation of said reach rod. j

2. In a locomotive a cylinder and steam admission and exhaust Wives therefor, means for onco ene control block in seid link from is tall open for ward position to a full onen reverse position, and

control means for said power operated means 010-,

eretively connected to said manual control means for said admission valve.

3. In a locomotive having a, cylinder and steam admission and exhaust valves therefor, means for controlling said valves comprising in combination a. link, 9. pair of biocksslidabiy received in said link, admission and exhaust valve control rods escii operetiveiy connected to one of sold blocks, a reach rod operativeiy connected to one end of said admission valve control rod to ediiist the position of the connected block in said link, a. bellcrank operetively connected to one end of said exhaust valve control rod, power operated means connected to said bellcrank for movement of the connected exhaust valve control rod from a lull open forward positionto a full opcnreverse position, and means having it positive oncretive connection to said reach rod to: controlling said operated means.

' i. In a, locmotive having a, cylinder and steam admission and list velva therefor, means for controlling said valves comprising in combinatlcn a a pair oi blocks slidably received in seicl iinlx, md eizlienst volve control locks, a loelicrenlt operetiveiv rm to said admission valve control rod to extinct the position oi the conn block in new link, a. reach on};

operatively connected to said bellow, o second locilcrnnit cpex'otively connected to said exhaust valve control rod to adjust the position of the block in said 1, power operated moon nnccted to sold second nod nellcrenii m for movement of the letter into two positions, and me connected to the first nemed bellcicnk for ou-tcmeticlallv controlling said power actuated means noon opevotion of sold recon rod.

5. In a, locomotive having a cylinder and site 1 admission and eiist valves therefor, the combination of means for controlling said valves comprising a pivotal 1ini-;,-e;poir of blocks slidnbly received thereby, scion and exhaust valve control rods each operotlveiv connected to one of on said blocks, e beilci'e'nk' opei'ctively connected to said edmission valve control i'ozi to adjust the position of the connected block in said link, a reach rod cncretively connected to'sold bellcraniz,

a. second bellcreni: onerotivelv connected to said 25 block being cnezrctiveiy coected to said second 39 ed icellcrenis and control means for said power operated cylinder nutonietlcoily cctnoted upon operation of said re rod.

coon onex'etiveiv few too to one fi said i 

